PATERSON — You know your city has troubles when a worker's own union president says he can't figure out why the city is paying that employee more than $140,000 in "stand-by" pay he isn't actually owed.

Documents obtained by the newspaper showed DeCando, who makes $67,000 a year in salary, put the request in days after the Jones administration took office. The request was granted nine months later.

The labor union president for the four animal control workers who report to DeCando told the Paterson Press that their contract stipulates that those workers receive preference on any overtime opportunities, well before DeCando.